Touch sensor panel design

Abstract

A touch sensor panel including a plurality of drive lines crossing a plurality of sense lines, forming an array. The plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines are formed by interconnecting sections of at least one conductive material having a truncated diamond shape or formed of interconnected conductive lines. At least one conductive dummy region may be disposed in an area of the touch sensor panel around the truncated diamond shape sections or interconnected conductive lines of the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines. One or more lines may be formed overlapping the interconnected sections of each of the plurality of drive lines and the plurality of sense lines.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A touch sensor panel, comprising: a plurality of first lines of a first conductive material; a plurality of second line sections of the first conductive material formed on a same layer as the plurality of first lines; a plurality of interconnect sections of a second conductive material configured for connecting second line sections together to form a plurality of second lines, and enabling the plurality of first and second lines to cross over each other to form an array of touch sensors; and one or more dummy regions disposed in an area around at least one of the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines, wherein the one or more dummy regions are formed on the same layer as the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second line sections. 
     
     
       2. The touch sensor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more dummy regions are formed of the first conductive material. 
     
     
       3. The touch sensor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more dummy areas are configured such that the dummy areas and the plurality of first and second lines are electrically isolated from one another and occupy substantially a full area of a substrate. 
     
     
       4. The touch sensor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more dummy regions are formed of one or more repeating patterns of isolated sections. 
     
     
       5. The touch sensor panel of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the second line sections have narrowed arms, and wherein an interconnect section connects the two second line sections together at their narrowed arms. 
     
     
       6. The touch sensor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the touch sensor panel is incorporated within a computing system. 
     
     
       7. The touch sensor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the computing system is incorporated into a mobile telephone. 
     
     
       8. The touch sensor panel of  claim 1 , wherein the computing system is incorporated into a media player. 
     
     
       9. A method of forming a touch sensor panel, comprising: forming a plurality of first lines of a first conductive material; forming a plurality of second line sections of the first conductive material; connecting second line sections together using a plurality of interconnect sections of a second conductive material to form a plurality of second lines, and enabling the plurality of first and second lines to cross over each other to form an array of touch sensors; and forming one or more dummy regions in an area around at least one of the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines, further comprising forming the one or more dummy regions on the same layer as the plurality of first lines and the plurality of second line sections. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising forming the one or more dummy regions of the first conductive material. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising forming the one or more dummy areas such that the dummy areas and the plurality of first and second lines are electrically isolated from one another and occupy substantially a full area of a substrate. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising forming the one or more dummy regions of one or more repeating patterns of isolated sections. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 forming at least two of the second line sections with narrowed arms; and 
 connecting the two second line sections together at their narrowed arms using an interconnect section.